Ty Ku Citrus Liqueur Review

A Fruity Soju Liqueur in a Glowing Green Bottle

Ty Ku Citrus Liqueur in a Glowing Green Bottle

Ty Ku Spirits

Ty Ku Citrus Liqueur offers an amazing drink experience. The glowing green bottle will surely catch your eye, and it holds a delightful liqueur of a mixture of interesting fruits inside. It's a beautiful addition to any bar, and the complex flavor is worthy of mixing with virtually anything to create some fascinating green cocktails.

The low-calorie liqueur is also low in sugar and is flavored with a variety of botanicals and fruits, including yuzu, mangosteen, goji berry, honeydew melon, and green tea. While the original base was a mixture of sake and soju, it seems to have been reformulated since its 2008 launch and is now strictly soju-based.

The Concept Behind Ty Ku

Ty Ku is not the result of years of costly corporate research. It is instead the outcome of a graduate program assignment. In 2003 at Columbia University, the team of Kirk Spahn and Trent Ulciny were posed with the assignment of creating a unique product and a plan to produce, market, and make a business out of it. The two came up with this healthy, sake-based liqueur with a literally eye-catching marketing idea they called Ty Ku.

The idea stemmed from a culmination of the young entrepreneurs' global travels and innovative marketing and business experiences. The result of their "grade A" work was a pale green liqueur filled with a bouquet of herbs and fruits inside a bottle that lights up when you pour.

The Making of Ty Ku

Ty Ku Soju is produced in Japan, though it is a traditional Korean liquor made from rice. The spirit is sweetened with elderflower syrup, which reduces the sugar factor common among liqueurs.

Its primary flavor profile is citrus and melon, making it a good substitute for melon liqueurs. In total, Ty Ku is flavored with a blend of 20 plus ingredients. The list includes some power-packed names among the health-conscious: pomegranate (antioxidant), Asian pear (hangover remedy), honeydew melon, yuzu (twice the Vitamin C of oranges), plum (Vitamin C), Fuji apple (lowers LDL, increases HDL), white cranberry (antioxidant), and green tea (antioxidants).

Produced by Ty Ku Spirits of Rochester, New York, the citrus liqueur is bottled at 17 percent alcohol/volume (34 proof).

The Beautiful Ty Ku Bottle

Quite simply, Ty Ku's bottle is really cool. It self-illuminates when picked up, making a spectacular display in dimly lit bars.

The lighting occurs when the button underneath the shiny silver base is pressed, causing the LED light inside to activate every time pressure is released from the base. Whenever the bottle is lifted to pour a shot or two, the light turns on and the pale green liqueur is energized with a bright neon glow that is captivating. It's a neat trick that you'll find yourself playing with at first.

The one drawback to the ergonomically designed bottle is that the combination of the tight, all-natural cork topped with the shiny silver triangle can be difficult to pull off, making it hard to open at times. That said, the sweet nectar inside makes up for this small inconvenience.

Enjoy Ty Ku Liqueur

Ty Ku is a welcomed addition to liquor store shelves and back bars as much as Hpnotiq was (and remains to be) when it was released a few years prior. It is great when shaken on its own or served on the rocks for a delightful, light citrus sipper.

Pair it with soda or ginger ale and a squeeze of lemon or lime for a refreshing highball. Mix it with natural ingredients like freshly squeezed juices, flavored simple syrup, or a new homemade infusion. Ty Ku is balanced enough to shine as a partner for any of your favorite spirits to produce some spectacular cocktails.

Ty Ku Cocktails

Among Ty Ku's cocktail recipes is the sweet blushing rose, which pairs the liqueur with pomegranate juice and rose nectar. You can also shake up a hello kitty, an incredibly simple vodka lemonade martini. When you're up for an adventure, try the goblet of fire. This recipe blends the liqueur with Kahlua and cream, then floats 151 rum on top, which is lit on fire.

Shots are not out of the question with Ty Ku. Mix it with tequila and sour mix for an electric green (and rather tasty) Mexican Samurai. It's sure to light a spark in any party and is best mixed up in front of guests so they can see the full illuminated show.